PSFK | Building the Smarter Cities of Tomorrow

PSFK, with The Curve Report from NBCUniversal Content Innovation and Creative Marketing, is examining new models of urban living.

As the world’s cities grow in size, population, and influence, urban centers are beginning to look and operate much like small nations unto themselves. For evidence of this, look no further than New York City, whose GDP equals that of Spain and whose Police Department is larger than many countries’ armies. Despite the positives that have happened alongside this rapid growth, we’ve witness some not so pleasant consequences as well: overcrowded streets, sardine tin-sized apartments, high cost of living and increased levels of environmental pollution –to name a few. In response to this, a small but growing group of urban pioneers are applying a startup mentality to spur innovation around these challenges, leveraging advancements in technology to conceive of new ways to develop our cities, towns, and suburbs. In collaboration with the minds behind The Curve Report from NBCUniversal, PSFK is investigating the rise of these alternative models of urban development, and how they will affect growth in the coming decades.